Naoya Inoue: Boxing’s Hidden Superstar

Naoya Inoue, ranked #3 pound-for-pound by ESPN, is set to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against South Korea’s Ye Joon Kim on Friday in Tokyo. While Kim is a relative unknown stepping in on short notice, Inoue remains a massive favorite to retain his titles.

Despite his dominance across multiple weight classes, Inoue is still somewhat unfamiliar to many American boxing fans. This is largely due to most of his fights taking place in Japan during inconvenient viewing hours for US audiences. However, Inoue has expressed interest in returning to fight in Las Vegas later this year.

What makes Inoue special? His combination of power, speed, and technical skills has allowed him to dominate opponents across four weight divisions. He possesses one-punch knockout power even as he’s moved up in weight. Inoue is also one of boxing’s most active elite fighters, aiming to compete four times in 2025.

While a superfight against Gervonta Davis seems unlikely due to the weight difference, potential big fights for Inoue include a clash with fellow Japanese star Junto Nakatani or rising Mexican-American Jesse Rodriguez. For now, dedicated boxing fans will continue to wake up early to watch one of the sport’s most exciting and skilled competitors in action.